Evaluating the thermophysiological comfort properties of wet fabrics in winter clothing

• Author / Creator

  van Keulen, Myles W.

• When physical activity and sweating cease in cold environments, it is imperative that the fabrics near the skin return to a dry state as quickly as possible in order to maintain comfort and avoid excessive heat loss. A variety of moisture management fabrics developed for underwear and jacket linings were studied to understand how their finishing treatments, fibre additives, or fibre morphology influenced the thermal properties of winter jackets. Dry and wet underwear fabrics were tested alone and in combination with three-layer jacket systems (i.e. lining, insulation, & shell) on an advanced sweating guarded hot plate in cold ambient conditions (6°C). The wet insulation values and drying behaviour of the fabrics and fabric systems were measured and compared. Fibre content, finishing treatment, and use of hydrophobic linings had a significant effect on wet insulation values. A significant interaction effect between the underwear and lining fabrics was noted on the drying time of cold weather fabric systems and liquid moisture management properties of two-layer composites (i.e. underwear and lining). The air permeability of the lining fabric had a significant effect on the drying time of the cold weather fabric systems.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Drying time
  • Moisture management
  • Thermal comfort
  • Winter clothing
  • Drying rate
  • Thermal insulation

• Graduation date

  Fall 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3V40K57N

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.